Valve mechanism



C. E. GATES VALVE MECHANISM Oct. 12, 1948.

Filed Dec. 8, 1943 AME SUFIFLY INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y5 Patentecl Oct. 12, 1948 VALVE MECHANISM Charles E. Gates, Elyria, Ohio, assignor to Ben- (liar-Westinghouse Automotive Air Brake Company, Elyria, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application December 8, 1943, Serial No. 513,424

12 Claims.

This invention relates to fluid pressure control valve mechanism, and more particularly to a control valve of the type having a single operating lever and wherein a plurality of control valve mechanisms are included in a single unit and are adapted to selectively control a plurality of actuators.

It has previously been proposed to utilize control valves of this general type for the purpose of selectively obtaining a finely graduated control of the pressure of'fluid supplied to a plurality of actuators, each of the control valve mechanisms comprising the unit being of the self-lapping type wherein a pressure responsive element is moved in one direction in response to the pressure supplied to the actuator for controlling the valve operation, movement in the other direction being accomplished by means of a resilent connection interposed between the pressure responsive element and the control lever, a resilient connecting link or graduating spring thus being required for each separate control valve mechanism in the unit, and it is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide valve mechanism of the above character wherein a single resilient means or graduating spring acts as a yielding connecting link between the control lever and the various pressure responsive elements.

Another object of the present invention is to provide, in a structure of the above type, means whereby the pressure of fluid delivered by a plurality of valve mechanism in a single unit may be controlled by means of a single graduating spring.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in connection with a control valve of the above type, means for preloading the single graduating spring in order to provide for the delivery of a predetermined pressure by any one of the control valve mechanisms in the unit in response to operation thereof by initial movement of the control lever.

In valves of the above type, it is necessary to provide an opening in the casing around the control lever in order to permit unrestricted movement of the latter, the result being that foreign substances are often introduced into the casing through this opening with resultant damage to the valve mechanism and possible interference with the satisfactory operation thereof, and it is a further object of the invention to provide simple and eflicient means for closing this opening in order to overcome this undesirable condition.

A still further object is to provide, in a control valve of the above type, means for automatically maintaining the control lever in its neutral and valve operating positions.

These and other novel features of the invention will be more readily apparent when considered in the light of the accompanying description and drawing. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is employed for the purposes of illustration only, reference being had, therefore, to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a control valve constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view indicating the arrangement of the various valve mechanisms comprising the unit, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the detent mechanism associated with the control mechanism.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, the valve unit is shown as comprising a casing 4 provided with an inlet chamber 5 connected with any suitable source of fluid pressure, not shown, by means of conduit 6. As indicated more particularly in Fig. 2, the control valve unit is preferably provided with a plurality of separate valve mechanisms symmetrically arranged about the vertical center line of the casing, the circles shown in dotted lines on Fig. 2 serving to indicate the preferred arrangement of four of these valve mechanisms in a single unit. These valve mechanisms are of identical construction and referring again to Fig. 1, such a valve mechanism is designated at the right hand side of the drawing by the numeral 1.

The right hand portion of the casing is provided with a bore 8, this bore being divided into exhaust and outlet chambers 9 and! respectively by means of a pressure responsive valve operating element I l slidably mounted in the bore. The element H is provided with an upwardly extending stem l2 for the purpose of operating the element, and the lower portion of the element is provided with a, centrally located bore l3. The outlet chamber'is separated from the inlet chamber 5 by means of a ported partition 14, the flow of fluid pressure between the chambers being normally prevented by means of -an inlet valve l5 having an upwardly extending stem [6 and an exhaust valve I! carried on the upper end of the stem. The inlet valve is normally maintained in the port closing position shown by means of an inletvalve spring I8 interposed between the upper side of the partition and the lower side of the exhaust valve. A spring 19 is interposed between the partition and the lower side of the pressure responsive element H, and normally serves to maintain the element in the position shown, whereby the lower end of the bore I3 {is spacegiifron the upper surface ofthe exhaust valve; The lower end of the piston is provided with a guide portion 20 surrounding the. exhaust valve and communication between the outlet chamber and bore I3 i provided by rrneans of ports 2! formed in the wall of the guide portion, the upper end of the bore I.3 being in com.- munication with the exhaustchamber by means of a port 22, and the exhaust chamber in turn being connected to atmosphere by means of a.

suitable outlet conduit 23. Thus with the parts in the position shown, the inlet valve serves" to prevent communication between the inlet and out- "let chambers, -.while :the exhaust valve serves to permit communicationbetween the outlet chamber and atmosphere through the ports 2!, the

bore 13, the port =22, the exhaust chamber E and the outlet conduit 2 3. Whenthe-plunger i2 is move downward, the lowe end o h b r 3 first-enga es the x au val e, urther move n of the plunger serving ,to, open the intake valve in order .to permit communication-between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber through the ported partition M, .the outlet chamber in turn being connected to the desiredactuator, 'not shown, loyzmeans ;of anioutletconduit 2A. In like manner there is illustrated :in the left hand por- 4 during selective operation of the various valvemechanisms. An operating connection between the lever and the operating plungers of the valve mechanisms 32, 33, 1 and 34 is provided by means of a disc 43 slidably mounted on the lever 38 by means of a bore provided in the disc, and preferably restrained from *furtherdownward movement on the lever by means of a shoulder 45 formed thereon. Thus, on movement-of the lever in a clockwise direction about the ball 31, the disc will act as a lever to impart downward movement to the plunger I2 and as soon as the intake valve .is opened in the valve mechanism 1, the fluid tion of Fig. l, a similar valve-mechanism having an outlet chamber 125 connected with .a second actuator, :not shown, :by means .of a conduit 25,

and an exhaust chamber 21 connectedwith at-' mosphere Eby meansiof lanoutlet conduit 28, communication between these various chambers being controlled by. means of inlet and exhaust valves .28 and 30. actuated-by means of a pressure responsive (element l3l identical in construction with the element 'Iil previously described.

This :valve mechanismmay :be indicated by the l aXes or the naive mechanisms anisms 33 and 3.14 are =likew-ise"provided with pres,-.

sure, responsive elements and corresponding 'upe wardly extending stems which serve'to control the operationzoi the inlet :and exhaust valves incorporatedin these mechanisms, In order that the operation of theservalve operating element stems maybe suitablycontrolled by the operator, the casing is provided -with a ball socket 35 adapted to' eneagea ball 3.? formedson the lower end of an operatcrsicontml ieverifia, .the lever thus, being adapted. for. un'versal movement with respect to the casing. Asuitablecover 39v is suitly se u ed to. th hperportion'of the casing, the center port-ion of the cover being provided with an opening in orderto permit movement the lever n any esireddir ct" .i e cEie rtm o en nem own; anditwlllbe noted, with pressure in the outlet chamber ID will tend to force the plunger upward, with a corresponding tendency to force the disc upward along the lever,

at the same time permitting closing of the intake valve in the valve mechanism 1. In order to con- 'trol this action and to permit the valve mech-" .anism 1 to deli a ressure ubstanti ly sp nortional t the de ree f. mov nt e the; lever om neut al position a. e il e t memb r e graduating spring :43 is interposed between the upper sur a e f he. disc an th ow r se ies? o a washer r olla 4 d'ael mount de ih lever and having its upper surface in c ntact with t inne ur ce i the se e 39 these 5 f es ein h e i a ly t me i rs p eti t e cen er oi th cket '35! and t 90. 1 b in u h d am e s totlos t e pe m less of the position occupied by the control lever.

Thus the graduating spring 46 acts to maintain,

the c m 1' i sgem twith e ner s r face of the cover, and at the same time serves.

on movement of the lever in a clockwise dire tion, as a graduating spring for the valve in anisnrl'in order to permit upward movement. of.

the valve element II when the pressure in the outlet chamber it} reaches a value corresponding 7 to thecompressing actionexe'rted on thegraduating spring by such movementof the lever, In like manner. rotation of the opposite direction will cause the di c 43 to act .as :a lever to movelthe plunger .35 downward, .and as the pressure, in; Y creases in the outlet-chamber .25 of the valve mechanism 32 will .f orcethe element- .31 and its connected plunger 35 upward with corresponding upward movement ioithe disc .on the lever 38., un-

" 1 til Such t m he r xe ed by he fluid pressure acting on the element is .b alancediby the graduating spring force exerted downward on'the disc .43, While the graduating spring .46 is not; necessarily of the preloaded type, it will be readily understood thatthe tension of the spring may he so chosen as to cause it to. be precompressed when assembled hetween the disc 43 and the .col;

lar 41,, downward movement oi the disc, under this type of operation being prevented by the. shoulder 45. Thus on movement .oi the. lever (to, operate h valve ech msm 1 or exe a o: mo e ment of the disc 43 with respect to theglever Q8 will occur until such timeas the pressure in the.

ou le amb oi 'thei al me a sm has reached a value .sufiicient to over m themeloa i of t e h ne. and the pressure elivered r on initial movement of the lever will thusco p nd to th deerele f hre a ins o asset t ins, seni e, n r he ncrease. in. ..e$. u, V

p hars er-bein ro rtional to. the ter the; de re of, movement i. the-whim I i als de ira e e moi ds mea siq with: g a salli theic rol lere' m emthe Volutle tral and'valve operating positions, and'thisls e Q-emhlishea nt-he Presen iesiance by f a detent member 48 slidably mounted inaguide 49 carried by, the casing, and normally urgedupward into engagement with the lower surface of the ball 31 by means of a spring 50. The center portion of the ball is provided with a depression 5| adapted to engage the upper end of the detent member 48 when the lever is in neutral position, together with a groove 52 adapted to engage the detent whenever the lever is moved to its extreme position from neutral in any desired direction, the

spring being so tensioned as to insure the maintenance of the lever in one or the other of these positions until moved to another position by the operator.

There has thus been provided by the presentinvention novel control valve means wherein a plu- 1 'rality of control valve mechanisms may be selectively operated under the control of a single lever, and wherein a self-lapping action of the difieren-t valve mechanisms is secured by means of the pressure responsive elements associated therewith operating in cooperation with a single graduating spring which forms a part of a resilient operating link between the control lever and the operating plungers of the various valve mechanisms. are eliminated, and a relatively cheap and emcient selectively operable multiple control valve unit is provided which is adapted for the control of a plurality of remotely situated fluid actuators.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated herein, other arrangements will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and it is to be expressly understood that the same is not limited to the forms shown but is capable of being embodied in various other forms without a;

departing from the spirit of the invention. Reference will, therefore, be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination in a fluid pressure control valve having a casing and a pair of control valve mechanisms mounted in said casing each provided with inlet and exhaust valves and a pressure responsive element movable for actuating said valves, of means for selectively controlling the operation of said valve mechanisms including a lever mounted on the casing for rocking movement with respect thereto, a member carried by the lever for actuating said elements and mounted for movement with respect to the lever, and means including a resilient member interposed between said first named member and casing for opposing movement of said member with respect to said lever, whereby the degree of pressure delivered by each valve mechanism is proportional to the degree of movement of said lever.

2. The combination in a, fluid pressure control valve having a casing and a pair of control valve mechanisms mounted in said casing each provided with inlet and exhaust valves and a pressure responsive element movable for actuating said valves, of means for controlling the operation of said valve mechanisms, including a lever mounted for rocking movement with respect to the casing, a member interposed between the lever and elements for operating the latter and mounted for movement relative to the lever, and a resilient member associated with said first named member and lever for opposing said relative movement, whereby the pressure delivered by each valve mechanism is proportional to the degree of movement of the lever.

3. The combination in a fluid pressure control valve having a casing provided with a, plurality Thus a number of expensive par-ts of separate control valve mechanisms each provided withinlet and exhaust valves and a manually operable pressure responsive element for-controlling the operation of the valves, ofmeansfor selectively-actuating said elements forlcontrolling theoperation ofthe corresponding valve mechanisms including .a lever mounted for universal movement with respect to the casing, a movable member carried by the lev'erand adapted ,for

engagement, with. the elements, an abutment mounted on said lever, and a resilient member interposed between said abutment and movable ,member.

selectively actuating said elements for controlling the operation of the'corresponding valve mechanisms including a lever pivotally mountedon the casing, a valve operating member slidably mounted on the lever and adapted for engagementwith said elements, an opening, in the upper portion of the casing for permitting rocking movement of the lever relative to the casing closure means for said opening slidably mounted on the lever and adapted to engage the casing to close said opening, and resilient meansinterposed between said valve operating member and closure member for maintaining the latter in engagement with the casing and for opposing sliding movement of the former with respect to the lever on rocking movement of the lever tooperate the valve operating elements.

5. The combination in a fluid pressure control valve having acasing and a pair of control valve mechanisms mounted in said casing each provided with inlet and exhaust valves and a pressure responsive element for actuating said valves, of means for selectively actuating said elements including a lever pivotally mounted on the casing for rocking movement with respect thereto having a neutral position and movable in different directions from neutral position to actuate one or the other of said elements, a member carried by the lever and movably mounted thereon for connecting s'aid lever and elements, and preloaded resilient means associated with said member and lever for opposing movement of the member with respect to the lever with a predetermined force, whereby on initial movement of the lever from neutral position to operate one or the other of the valves the pressure delivered by the operated valve is proportional to the degree of preloading of the resilient means, and on further movement of the lever is proportional to the degree of further movement.

6. The combination in a fluid pressure control valve having a, casing and a pair of control valve mechanisms mounted in said casing each provided with inlet and exhaust valves and a pressure responsive element movable for actuating said valves, of means for selectively moving said elements including a lever pivotally mounted on the casing and movable in one direction or the other to operate one or the other of said elements, and means for transmitting force from said lever to said elements including an abutment member movably carried by the lever and adapted to engage the elements, a second abutment member carried by said lever, and a resilient member interposed between said abutment members.

'7. The combination in a fluid pressure control valve mechanism I'having a casin'g' and a plurality of ieontrol' valve mechanisms mounted *in ithe casing each provided with iinlet and'r'exhaust valves and a pressure zresponsiveielement movable itor -actuating said '-va'lves-,-of means ifor selectively operating said element including ia lever :movafile in one plane for operating one :or the --'other of a pair rof said elements :and in :annther lplane Dior operating another of said elements, means ifo'r :guiding :said lever for movement :in :said planes, and :means ior .efiectingfla yielding iforee trans- :mitting connection :between said Hover-and el'ements including a member movably mounted'ion athe leverand adapted for engagement withsaid iielements, an abutment member mounted on ith'e lever, and :a resilient member iin terposed between saidimovableandabutmentmembers. 1? 8. The combination in "a z'fluid priessure 'oontrdl valve-having a casing and a pair df 'coritrol Waive mechanisms mounted :thei e'in eadh provi'tleel with inlet and exhaust valves and a pres-sure re'spon- .sive element for actuating said valves, of means for selectively operating said elementsindluiing a lever mova bly mounted the easing; anti means tor =efiecting -a'yiel6ing force transmitting nonne'c'tion between said lever and elements in cluding a single resilient-member carried by -sa'il lever, q 1 j e 9. Thecombina'tion in aifluidpressure control valve having a casing and a pair-of control valve mechanisms mounted therein each provided inlet and exhaust valves and a pressure'respon sive element for 'actuating'sail valves, of means for controlling the operation of saw elements includingailever provided with aspherica'l portion, a socket formed in the easing torreciving said spherical portion, means for 'eifectinga yielding force transmitting connection between sa-id lever and "elements including a member s'lidabfly "mounted on the lever and-adapted to engage said elements, an abutment mounted "on the-lever, "and aa resilient member interposed betweensa' id first named member *and'abutmen't, and means for maintaining said lever in valve'operating position including a circular -groove'='formed-'on *the surf-ace 0f "said spherical portion and 'a spring pressed detent carried by the casing anti adapted levermn movement of theslever to adtuateon' oritlie other ofu-saidelements.

111. A control valve :having a oasingprovidefl "with a pair of valve meohani's'ms each ihavinga i '5 inov-able'valve operating:e1ement,-a=leveripivotally mounted in the casing'rfor selectively 5con'trolling the operation :of said element's, a rcover for the easing having a sphericalportion formed about the pivotal point of the lever as a "oentenan opening formed in "the spherical .portion for per-- :mitting movement i of the lever,- a valve operating member sliuably mounted on the lever and adapted for engagement with the elemetits a *spjhe'ricajlly formed =closure -member -S1idably 15 mounted on the lever and adapted for engagement and conformity with the inner surface or the-spherical portion of said cover if'or olosing the opening regardless of the position of saiti lever,- and resilient means interposed be'tween said Valve operating member and closure mem- 'ber -for maintaining l the latter in engagement "with said spherical "coverporition and for resiliently opposing moveinent'ofsaid slidable mem ear on the "lever on movement of the latter t operate one'or the other of said-elements. 125 A control valve having a casing provided with a pair of valve mechanisms each havinga movable valve operating element, andem'ean's ior yielding'lyand selectivelyac'tu'aiting said elements "the casing, means for connecting said lever and elements; and a single resilient member havinga connection with the connecting means anda CHARLES E; ArEs,

EREFERENCES zone!) 7 1 V V The following references are of "record m me file of this patent: s V

KUaN-ITED STATES .P LA IEN IITS i H 523 54224 f U p "ga -7 M r. 2 1 44 including a'leve'r havinga pivotal'connection with V 

